The prior art discloses file cabinets having drawer interlocks for preventing more than one drawer from being opened at any one time in order to prevent the center of gravity of the cabinet from moving too far forward and possibly tipping the cabinet over. Interlocks for file cabinets have previously incorporated vertically extending interlock bars located at one or both sides of the file cabinet such that vertical movement of the bar or bars upon opening of one drawer locks the other drawers against opening. Usually the vertical bar movement is accomplished by engagement between a ramp surface on the drawer and a lock member on the bar. Quite often all of these components are made of metal and the friction that is generated during operation of the interlock can generate noise during the operation.
The prior art also discloses locking mechanisms for security locking all of the drawers of a file cabinet. Such mechanisms have also utilized a vertically extending bar or bars located at opposite sides of the file cabinet.
References which disclose file cabinets having interlocks and locking mechanisms of the type described above include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,793,927; 2,829,021; 3,323,849; 3,764,190; 3,866,993; 3,870,387; 3,888,558; and 3,969,008.